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The Cochin Shipyard Limited dispelled doubts that CSL could repair the largest Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, when on 5th November, 2016 the refit was completed a month ahead of schedule. This aircraft carrier was purchased from Russia and commissioned into the naval fleet in 2014.

Shri Rajesh Gopalakrishnan, General Manager (Ship Repair Division) at CSL said “Till INS Vikramaditya docked in Cochin Shipyard and water was pumped out of the dock and we had her sitting safely, there was a real concern on whether India could do it”.

INS Vikramaditya is one of the biggest ships owned by India and ever to have docked in India till date. In September, the Indian Navy, one of CSL’s biggest client, decided to dry-dock the carrier attached to its Karwar Naval Base at CSL for repairs on a contracted schedule of 70 days. It was clearly an opportunity for CSL to prove that India had the infrastructure as well as expertise for the task. This will also ensure readiness and preparedness with an indigenous capability in case of an emergency, without having to face the embarrassment of sending the ship outside the country for repairs.

To lay the concerns to rest, CSL tasked IIT Chennai to undertake a detailed dock floor strength analysis to prove that CSL dock indeed had the capacity to accommodate loads of this nature. The design of the dock blocks was done in-house thereafter by CSL to seat the Carrier in the dry-dock. Ultimately, CSL got the opportunity to demonstrate its capability to dock and repair INS Vikramaditya.

But, there was considerable planning & preparation to be done at CSL to accommodate the ship. This involved administrative, logistic and technical arrangements of a large magnitude. For one, INS Vikramaditya needed specially designed dock blocks made of plenty of hard as well as soft wood on which she could sit. (Shipyards typically go for a combination of concrete and wood to dry dock ships for repairs. But, in this case, plenty of "wholly wood" blocks were also used to address the loading concerns.) Another major cause for apprehension was whether this ship with higher draft would be able to clear the dry-dock sill without its propeller getting damaged, especially with the available water levels and tidal conditions in Kochi.

Then, there was water depth issue to tackle. The carrier needed higher water depth to enter the Kochi harbour. The entire outer channel, Ernakulam channel and harbour area, including dock mouth and berths at CSL were dredged to a depth of close to 14 Mtr.

While CSL was undertaking preparatory activities to enable the ship to dock, INS Vikramaditya had to berth at the ICTT Terminal nearby with a depth of 14.5 Mtr. This was to facilitate the ship to propel into Kochi on her own power.

The work package was contracted and scheduled for 70 days but certain operational requirements demanded significant compression of the time-frame and the ship was un-docked and taken out of the yard in 42 days.

Accolades have been pouring in for CSL from various quarters including the Indian Navy complimenting “CSL for working whole-heartedly 24X7 and for proving that not only is the dock fully suitable but also that that commitment and capability of Indians is second to none.”.

“It was all about human endeavour, team spirit, passion, nation building and Indian pride. CSL literally moved heaven and earth and burnt the midnight oil to complete the task entrusted to us by the Indian Navy and that too way ahead of schedule,” says a gleaming Madhu S Nair, the Chairman & Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Incidentally, all three aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy were in and around CSL for around a month during this period. First, INS Viraat, came into CSL for a short refit before its de-commissioning (which is understood is planned for early 2017). INS Vikramaditya, originally expected for refit at CSL in October 2016, was dry-docked in September 2016. It was virtually a touch and go situation for CSL as INS Vikramaditya came in close on the heels of INS Viraat. INS Viraat, was still berthed at Kochi when INS Vikramaditya came in to dry-dock at CSL. All this while, the third carrier, INS Vikrant, Indian's First Ingenuously built Aircraft Carrier was under construction at CSL, resulting in a situation where all the three aircraft carriers were in Cochin. The whole effort and its tremendous success augers well not only for India's most dynamic shipyard, the Cochin Shipyard Limited, but also for the nation as a whole.

A major fire was reported at the Puttingal Devi Temple in Kollam in the early hours of Sunday, 10 Apr 16 following which the Southern Naval Command at Kochi pressed into action medical team along with equipment and materials using ships and aircraft.

Six Aircraft (Two Dornier fixed wing aircraft, two ALH helicopters and two Chetak helicopters) and three IN ships namely Kabra, Kalpeni and Sunayna were earmarked for the requirement. Two ALH with a nine member medical team along with three doctors, paramedics, supplies and equipment was rushed to the scene at 1130 hrs. The helicopters landed at the Ashramam Ground, Kollam at 1200 hrs. One Dornier aircraft from Kochi was positioned at AF Stn Trivandrum since noon. The rest of aircraft were stand by at Kochi foe any emergent need.

IN ships Sunayna, Kabra and Kalpeni were sailed immediately from Kochi with 200 KGs of medical supplies and medical team. INS Kabra and Kalpeni reached alongside Kollam jetty at 1600 hrs while INS Sunayna is off Kollam awaiting instructions as per situation. The medical supplies have been handed over to the local administration. Ships have kept blood donors ready to meet emerging requirements of Blood.

A relief camp has been set up at Kollam to co-ordinate all relief activities by the Navy, which was visited by the Hon’ble CM of Kerala.

Regular contact is being maintained with state officials. Ships as well as medical teams have been directed to remain at Kollam for rendering assistance.

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has expressed sadness and shock over the fire tragedy which happened at a temple in Kollam district of Kerala today early morning. Shri Modi will be rushing to Kerala to take stock of the situation arising due to the unfortunate incident.

" Fire at temple in Kollam is heart-rending and shocking beyond words. My thoughts are with families of the deceased and prayers with the injured.

Spoke to CM Oommen Chandy about the fire at a temple in Kollam. Arranging for immediate shifting of those critically injured via helicopter.

Have also asked my Cabinet colleague and Health Minister JPNadda to immediately reach the site of the fire tragedy in Kollam.

I will be reaching Kerala soon to take stock of the situation arising due to the unfortunate fire tragedy in Kollam", the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets.

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the fire in Kollam. The PM also announced a solatium of Rs. 50, 000 to those who are injured in the fire.

The Prime Minister is constantly monitoring the situation and is in touch with officials. PM has asked airforce and navy to assist in making arrangements for immediate shifting of critically injured via helicopter. PM will be travelling to Kerala soon and has directed that no protocol formalities be observed on his arrival in Kerala and focus remains on relief and rescue operations. A team of doctors including burn specialists will accompany PM to Kerala.

Indian Navy Sailing Vessel Mhadei with an all-women crew was flagged off from Goa to Cape Town, South Africa by Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, Commandant Naval War College on 09 Nov 16 in a ceremony held at the Boat Pool of INS Mandovi, Goa. The vessel, is scheduled to reach Cape Town on 15 Dec 16. The Boat would then participate in the “Cape to Rio Race” ( Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro) which will start from Cape Town on 26 Dec 16.

Speaking on the occasion, Rear Admiral Monty Khanna said, “Sea faring is our profession and there is nothing better than long distance Ocean Sailing to learn the fine nuances of seamanship and understanding the oceans. The Women Officers have already sailed to Mauritius in the peak of monsoons and we are confident that the experience gained will hold them in good stead during the long voyage”.

The present voyage of INSV Mhadei consists of four legs which includes Goa to Cape Town, Cape-town to Rio de Janeiro (the actual race) and the return back to Goa. Indian Navy (IN) has identified four sets of crew to participate in various legs of the voyage with the purpose of preparing a larger base of adventure loving sea- farers. While the present leg upto cape Town is being undertaken by an all women crew skippered by Lt Cdr vartika Joshi, the Rio race would be undertaken by a mixed crew of men and women which would be helmed by Capt Atool Sinha, the Officer-in-charge of the recently established Ocean Sailing Node of the Indian Navy, who is an Asian Games silver medalist. Similarly the return legs would have separate sets of crew.

The Flag off today has the dual purpose of grooming of the all women crew for attempting a circumnavigation of the globe by them next year as also providing impetus to the “ocean racing” abilities of the IN.

The Cape to Rio race is the longest continent to continent yacht race in the Southern hemisphere with a total length of 6500 kms across the South Atlantic Ocean. A fleet of at least 50 yachts are expected to participate in this year’s race.

Captain Radhika Menon, Master of the oil products tanker Sampurna Swarajya, is to receive the 2016 International Maritime Organization Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for her role in the dramatic rescue of seven fishermen from a sinking fishing boat in tumultuous seas in the Bay of Bengal in June last year. The International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. Captain Menon was nominated by the Government of India, for the rescue of all seven fishermen from the fishing boat Durgamma, which was adrift following engine failure and loss of anchor in severe weather. Food and water had been washed away and they were surviving on ice from the cold storage.

The IMO Council, meeting for its 116th session in London, endorsed the decision of a Panel of Judges that Captain Menon displayed great determination and courage in leading the difficult rescue operation in the Bay of Bengal in June last year.Through wave heights of more than 25 feet, winds of more than 60 knots and heavy rain, on 22 June, the second officer on the Sampurna Swarajya spotted the boat 2.5 kilometres away, off the coast of Gopalpur, Orissa.

Captain Menon immediately ordered a rescue operation, utilising the pilot ladder and with life jackets and buoys on standby. It took three arduous attempts in the lashing wind and rain and heavy swells before all seven weak and starving fishermen, aged from 15 to 50 years old, were brought to safety on board the ship. Their families had already considered them to be lost at sea, but thanks to the rescue, led by Captain Menon, they were reunited with their loved ones a few days later.

Captain Menon is the first woman captain in the Indian Merchant Navy and will be the first woman to receive the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.The Awards ceremony is expected to take place at IMO Headquarters, on 21 November, at the end of the first day of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC).

This annual Award was established by IMO to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery, displaying outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea or in attempting to prevent or mitigate damage to the marine environment.Nominations are scrutinized by an Assessment Panel made up of members of non governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO, under the chairmanship of the Secretary-General. Subsequently, a Panel of Judges meets (under the chairmanship of the Chairman of the Council, with the participation of the Chairmen of the Maritime Safety Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Legal Committee, the Technical Cooperation Committee and the Facilitation Committee) to consider the recommendations of the Assessment Panel and to select the recipient of the Award.

The recipient of the Award is invited to a special ceremony at IMO to receive a medal and a certificate citing the act of exceptional bravery performed.

There are three categories of honour: first, the Award itself, for the nominee judged to have performed the most outstanding act of bravery from among those described. Secondly, Certificates of Commendation are awarded to nominees who have committed acts of extraordinary bravery. And, thirdly, Letters of Commendation are sent to those nominees who are judged to deserve some special recognition for meritorious actions.

At about 7:30 PM on 08 June 2016, a merchant ship MV Infinity I,approximately 20 NM off Goa coast, reported water ingress and continuous listing (nautical term for tilting) to starboard (right side of the ship). The vessel had reported that the list is increasing despite ship's de-watering efforts.

Since such emergencies can lead to the sinking of the ship, Indian Naval Ship Trikand from Western Naval Command immediately responded to the call. Despite heavy seas the ship responded immediately (at about 9:00 PM on 08 June 16) by sending team of 4 personnel including 2 officers and high speed de-watering pumps. Maritime Rescue Coordination Center was also informed. Coast Guard Ships Amal and Shoor and a tug from Goa were also dispatched for assistance and another naval ship INS Kondul was placed on standby. Helicopters were also prepared for immediate evacuations should the situation deteriorate.

MV Infinity I was anchored off Goa coast last night and provided with additional pumps by INS Trikand and CG Ships. By early morning about(approximately 3:00 AM today) MV Infinity I could contain the flooding with the help of pumps provided by the assisting ships. Although, still listing precariously, the ship weighed anchor by 4:00AM this morning and is slowly (4-5 Knots of speed) proceeding to Karwar harbour. She is being escorted by INS Trikand and two CG Ships. At current speed, she is expected to reach Karwar Port latethis evening.

The 83 m long vessel with 14 Indian crew (including Master) was transiting from Kandla port in Gujarat and proceeding to Karwar,Karnataka when it developed the crack in the hull and started taking in water. She was carrying approximately 1750 tonnes of Asphalt.

The development is being closely monitored by Naval and CG authorities.

Inaugurating the first ever Goa Maritime Symposium conducted by the Naval War College, Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff reiterated the importance of cooperative engagement to promote maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This, he said, has been the Navy’s consistent approach and was congruent to the government’s SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) initiative for inclusive development. Admiral Lanba complimented the college on this initiative and presented awards to the graduating international officers of the maiden Regional Maritime Security Course. He urged them to take forward the knowledge gained and bonds developed during their stay at Goa to build a better and more secure future.

Divided into four sub-themes, the symposium conducted over two days evaluated Strengthening of Regional Maritime Security Architectures; Enhancing Interoperability in the Indian Ocean Region; Challenges to Freedom of Navigation; and Maritime Security Challenges in the IOR. Each of these themes was elaborated upon by speakers of national and international renown, comprising a veritable who’s who of analysts, scholars and practitioners such as Admirals Raja Menon, Arun Prakash, Sureesh Mehta, Vijay Shankar, Pradeep Chauhan; Commodore Uday Bhaskar; Professor Geoffrey Till, Vijay Sakhuja, Dattesh Parulekar and Ms Tomoko Kiyota. Senior officers from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka actively contributed to the symposium bysharing the experiences, concerns andperspectives of their respective countries.

“Each sub-theme stimulated engaging discussions andwe collectively deliberated on several aspects of regional security mechanisms and cooperative frameworks in the context of present as well as future maritime challenges and how we can achieve greater efficacy and efficiency in mitigating them”, said Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, Commandant of the Naval War College. He added that basic security perception, projection and understanding of all affairs – maritime – must have the essential elements of regional cooperation.

The symposium contributed majorly towards fostering a sense of maritime awareness that presupposes efficiency in cooperative mechanisms. It also brought out competing narratives and suggested roadmaps for the future including strengthening existing frameworks such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) – an Indian Navy initiative since 2008.

KONKAN 16, the 2016 edition of the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy, would be held from 05 -16 Dec 16 at Mumbai and Goa. Exercise KONKAN, named after the Western coastal region of India, was institutionalised in 2004. Since then, the exercise hosted in rotation by both the Navies, has grown in complexity, scale and intensity.

The exercise will be conducted in two phases at Mumbai and Goa. The first phase, to be held from 05 - 09 Dec 16, would be a Command Planning exercise involving the two navies, where planners from both sides will undertake planning for combined maritime operations. The second phase is a LIVE EXERCISE (LIVEX), to be held from 12 - 16 Dec 16 at Goa, which involves interaction between the IN Marine Commandos (MARCOs) and the Royal Marines. Both phases will involve sharing of best practices and lessons learnt from recent operations, especially in the field of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO).

KONKAN 16 will be an important chapter in the maritime interactions under the aegis of KONKAN series as it will familiarise both forces with each other’s planning processes and further enhance synergy and inter-operability. In addition, participation of IN MARCOs and Royal Marines would add another dimension to this exercise and provide valuable opportunity for both navies to interact and cooperate in the field of Maritime Security Operations.

Successive editions of KONKAN have built on past experiences and have enhanced operational inter-operability between the two navies. This cooperation between the two navies is a positive and tangible symbol of commitment in ensuring a positive climate for maritime security and economic development. The current edition would further strengthen the existing bonds of friendship between India and United Kingdom, and enhance our capability to work together to contribute towards maritime security in the global commons.

A Naval Air Enclave (NAE) was inaugurated at CIAL by Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM, ADC, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) on 05 Oct 16.

The setting up of a NAE will facilitate the operations of Boeing P8I aircraft from CIAL to enhance surveillance of area around the western coast and the strategically critical Lakshdweep and Minicoy Islands. It would also enable timely assistance to be rendered to the neighbouring countries who share friendly and ancient ties with India. The naval air enclave would be utilized to accommodate and operate aircraft which cannot be operated from INS Garuda due to inadequate runway length available.

Speaking on the occasion, the Admiral said that the inauguration of naval air enclave again revives the bond between the Navy and civil operators which came to a halt with the shifting of civil air operations to CIAL. The naval air station at Garuda is limited in its operations due to space restrictions, bird menace due to very dense human habitation in vicinity and growing obstructions around the airfield. The establishment of CIAL and KIAL has offered a unique opportunity to the Indian armed forces to utilize them to meet their growing needs.

A seminar with the central theme “Overhaul and Indigenisation of Marine Gas Turbines” and an Industrial Exhibition organised to commemorate the Silver Jubilee Year by INS Eksila were inaugurated by Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, AVSM, ADC, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command, today, 05 October 2016. The seminar was attended by all the stake holders representing the Naval Headquarters, Indian Air Force, PSUs, Govt. Organisations and lead Industries in addition to erstwhile Commanding Officers of the unit. A photo essay book ‘Propelling Ahead’, a kaleidoscope tracing the glorious journey of twenty five years from MGTOC to INS Eksila, was also released by the Chief Guest on this momentous occasion.

Distinguished speakers from across the country shared their perspective of topics related to Gas Turbines during the seminar. The seminar saw lively discussions and yielded some takeaways towards partnerships between Industry and the Navy which could confront the future challenges for maintenance of Gas Turbines. The technical exhibition showcased the capability of over 20 lead industrial houses and provided a valuable opportunity to the industries to showcase their capability for development of indigenous substitutes in the field of Marine Gas Turbines, Hydraulic Systems, Sensors, Instrumentation and Controls, Support Systems for Ship based applications of Indian Navy. In consonance with the “Make in India” initiative of the Government of India, the industry representatives keenly engaged with naval personnel to understand their needs for indigenous substitutes.

Eksila, located at Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam, is the only naval establishment in South East Asia where “Men in Uniform” undertake major overhaul of Marine Gas Turbines powering Naval Ships. The Unit has witnessed an exciting phase of transformation in the last two and a half decades since her inception as Marine Gas Turbine Overhaul Centre (MGTOC) on 22 October 1991. Significant strides have been made by the Unit in embracing contemporary cutting edge technologies in the field of Marine Gas Turbine maintenance, keeping in line with the Indian Navy’s commitment to ‘Self Reliance through Indigenisation’.

Eksila besides being a premier establishment of the Indian Navy on the Eastern Seaboard, has also been actively involved in Community Development and mentoring the neighbouring villages viz. Mulagada, Yedurivanipalem, Govdesivanipalem and Sriramnagar through conduct of periodical Eye Check up, Nutrition Awareness and Medical Health Camps in association with HQENC and other NGOs. As part of Silver Jubilee celebrations, a Blood Donation Camp and a nutritional awareness cum Health Camp with special emphasis on eye check up for the Children and adults of neighboring villages were conducted.

The Green Initiatives Programme of the Indian Navy completes two years on World Environment Day. Over this period, considerable impetus has been given to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the Navy. Being a responsible and multidimensional force, the Indian Navy believes in an all inclusive and sustainable growth. Accordingly, the focus has not only been on correcting its ‘impact’ on the energy and environmental footprint, but also to address the root cause of the problem, which lies in the way energy is used.

Creation of an Energy and Environment Cell at Naval Headquarters in Jan 16 to monitor pan Navy implementation of green measures is a concrete step in this direction. This Cell has been tasked to enable the Navy’s vision of adding a Green Footprint to its Blue Water Operations and make it an environmentally responsible force which is not only energy and resource efficient, but also resilient to energy costs/ disruptions.

The Key Result Areas of the INs Energy and Environment Policy underline the triple bottom-line approach of Energy Conservation, Diversification of Energy Supply and Minimising Environment Impact. The ever expanding reach of IN necessitates use of new platforms equipped with cutting edge technology and state-of-the-art equipment. These platforms are energy intensive and have a significant carbon footprint in terms of energy and fuel use. IN has initiated concerted steps to reduce the carbon footprint– through efficient ship design and operations. Mass energy conservation awareness drives are conducted regularly at all Commands and Repair Yards to continuously educate and sensitise personnel on the importance of energy/ environment conservation in an effort to make this a way of life. Apart from greater awareness of the naval fraternity, the efforts have resulted in significant savings of approximately Rs. 12 Cr annually. The efforts of one of the major repair yards have seen it emerge as a model consumer, a feat lauded and recognized by the State Electricity Board.

The Navy has set itself an aggressive target of 21 MW Solar PV installation, to be implemented in three phases. The initiative is in line with the National Mission of Mega Watt to Giga Watt towards achieving 100 GW Solar PV installations by 2022. Additionally, IN has pledged 1.5 per cent of its Works budget towards Renewable Energy generation. Under this scheme, Solar PV projects are being undertaken at various Naval Stations across all Commands. Naval Stations, with scarce available land, have resorted to the deploying Rooftop Solar PV panels.

While the Renewable Energy scenario in the country is dominated by Solar and Wind energy, the Navy is also exploring the possibility of harnessing the Renewable Energy from oceans. Towards this, in consultation with pioneers in the field and MNRE, feasibility of exploiting Ocean Thermal Energy and Wave Energy as sources of power, are under discussion.

The pursuit of green goals of Indian Navy requires sustained and focussed efforts. The Men and Women in Whites, have, nonetheless pledged to walk hand in hand with the national objectives set by the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended greetings and felicitations to all members of the Indian Navy and their families on the occasion of Navy Day 2016.

In his message, the President has said, “I am happy to learn that Navy Day is being celebrated on 4th December, 2016.

The Indian Navy is a strong, capable and professional force, which has effectively safeguarded our national maritime interests and built bridges of friendship across the oceans. The Indian Navy has also played an important role in rendering aid and humanitarian assistance across the Indian Ocean Region.

Over the past few decades, the Indian Navy has transformed itself into a multi-dimensional and technologically enabled force, capable of meeting any maritime challenge confronted by our nation. I am confident that in the years ahead, the Indian Navy will continue to progress as a potent instrument of our national power.

On the occasion of Navy Day 2016, I extend my greetings and good wishes to all officers, sailors and civilian personnel of the Indian Navy and their families”.

The 19th Plenary Session of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) took place in Mahe, Seychelles during 31 May – 3 June 2016. India was chosen to co-chair the important Working Group on Improving Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) in the Region through consensus. The session was chaired by Mr. Joel Morgan, the Foreign Minister of the Seychelles and more than 60 countries and organisations participated in the four-day meeting.

Seychelles is the current chairman of the CGPCS for the biennium 2016-17. An Indian Delegation led by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and comprising of officers of the Indian Navy, Ministry of External Affairs and Directorate General of Shipping represented India in this important meeting that discussed the actions taken and their results in combating piracy in the Indian Ocean across the coast of Somalia.

It may be recalled that the CGPCS was set up as a group of interested and affected nations, industry associations and multilateral agencies to take pro-active steps for checking piracy in the Indian Ocean region through a UN Security Council resolution. In its 7 year of working the Contact Group has been able to effectively deal with the issues relating to piracy off the coast of Somalia. The CGPCS has been spearheading its efforts through four Working Groups (WGs) focused on Capacity Building on legal, judicial framework and processes, and poverty alleviation in Somalia, Improving Maritime Situational Awareness in Indian Ocean Region and coordinating efforts for Disrupting Piracy Networks.

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have played a very important role by enhanced patrolling in the high seas and providing armed naval escorts to ships moving in the area. Other countries and organisations such as EU, US-led Combined Maritime Forces, NATO, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea have also significantly contributed to increased alertness and patrolling in the region due to which the piracy problem has been largely contained. To protect Indian ships and Indian citizens employed in sea-faring duties, Indian Navy commenced anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden from 23 October 2008. In addition to escorting Indian-flagged ships, ships of other countries have also been escorted by the Indian Navy. Merchant ships are currently being escorted along the entire length (490 nm long and 20 nm wide) of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) which is heavily patrolled by Indian Navy vessels. According to information received more than 25 IN ships are deployed for patrolling, escorting ships and in anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. To maintain high degree of alertness in the region, around 19 coastal security operations and exercises have been undertaken over the past year.

During the height of piracy all the ships calling on and leaving Indian ports passing through the High Risk Area (HRA), which was drawn at the Indian Ocean area west of 78 degrees E longitude and therefore which affected almost 22000 ships calling on and leaving from Indian ports, to pay an additional premium to insurance companies most of whom were based outside India. It is estimated that this premium, called Additional War Risk Premium (AWRP) amounted to around Rupees 8500 crores during the years 2010 to 2015. This premium amount was added in the overall freight charges and therefore the Indian consumer had to bear the burden of this extra premium amount.

Therefore, the Ministry of Shipping took up the issue of redrawal of the High Risk Area Line back to 65 Degrees E (from 78 deg E) in the International Maritime Organization and CGPCS in 2015 and as a result the HRA was redrawn at 65 deg E. Thereby the ships coming to or leaving Indian ports do not have to pay AWRP now.

Thus India’s taking over as co-chair of Working Group on Maritime Situational Awareness is in recognition of its pro-active role in combating the problem of piracy off the Somalian Coast and in the Indian Ocean Region.

Indian Naval Ship Trikand of the Western Fleet is on a goodwill visit to East Africa and Southern Indian Ocean. The ship was at Antsiranana from 31 Aug to 03 Sep 16 to further bilateral ties with Madagascar. The ship, during her stay in harbor, has been extensively engaging with the Malagasy authorities both in the military and civil arena to boost relations between the nations.

The recent calamity at Ambilobe, a region about 140 Km from Antsiranana, saw bush fires resulting in extensive damage to property and livelihood. In support of the government and the people of Madagascar, the Indian Navy swung into immediate action to provide succor to more than five thousand affected citizens. INS Trikand donated essential food items and medicines to the affected populace, since the ship is always ready to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) during such eventualities. Storage of HADR bricks on ships is a SOP and all operational ships carry it at all times. The ship provided the following items to the Malagasy authorities at Antsiranana on 03 Sep 16: -

Ser.

Items

Quantity

(a)

Rice

1000 Kgs

(b)

Jam

50 Kgs

(c)

Tinned Fruit

50 Kgs

(d)

Tea

50 Kgs

(e)

Tetra Milk

250 Ltrs

(f)

Cooking Oil

100 Ltrs

(g)

Disposable Crockery and Cutlery

500 each

(h)

Essential Medicines

Two boxes

The helping hand by the Indian Navy is in line with the Indian government’s and the Navy’s policy of immediate and sustainable assistance to all its neighbours in times of need.

The visit of the Russian Naval Ship and the delegation will encompass interaction between personnel of both the Navies in various professional, cultural, social and sports events. Apart from engaging in friendly football and volley ball matches with the Eastern Fleet teams, the Russian Naval personnel will also visit places of interest in Visakhapatnam prior to their departure on 06 August 2016.

Inducted into the Russian Navy's Pacific Ocean Fleet search-and-rescue force in November 2015, Igor Belousov is used for search-and-rescue of crew in distressed surface vessels and submarines. It can also be used for providing emergency response and ship salvage. The on-board lifesaving equipment include a 700m deep-diving vehicle and two deep-diving submersibles used for search and lifting of underwater objects from the seabed and rescue of crews in distressed submarines. (Information from open source).

Indian Naval Ships Tir and Sujata, alongwith Indian Coast Guard Ship Varuna, comprising the 1st Training Squadron are visiting Yangon, Myanmar from 02 – 06 Nov 16 as part of their Overseas Deployment during Autumn Term 16. The Senior Officer of the 1st Training Squadron, Captain DJ Revar, is embarked on board INS Tir. The Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC is also on an official visit to Myanmar during the visit of the training squadron.

India and Myanmar have a close, long-standing relationship covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, which has strengthened over the years. Visits by ships to each other’s countries as well as Co-ordinated Patrols (CORPATs) provide opportunities for extensive operational and training engagements and contributes to the maintenance of good order at sea. The present deployment of the Training Squadron to Yangon would further cement the close relations between the two nations and the two navies.

The First Training Squadron forms part of Southern Naval Command (SNC) and comprises Indian Naval Ships Tir, Shardul, Sujata, ICGS Varuna and two Sail Training Ships Sudarshini and Tarangini, all of which have been built in India. The primary aim of the Squadron is to impart training to Naval and Coast Guard trainees, with a 24 weeks ab-initio sea training being imparted. The trainees are imparted training in Seamanship, Navigation, Ship Handling, Boat Work, Technical aspects, etc whilst being exposed to the rigours of life at sea, so as to earn their ‘sea legs’. Southern Naval Command is the Training Command of the Indian Navy, which provides both basic and advanced training to officers and sailors of the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy has also been providing training to personnel from Friendly Foreign Countries for more than four decades, wherein more than 13,000 personnel from over 40 countries have been trained. The Indian Navy’s focused approach for providing high quality training by constantly adapting to evolving tactics and technologies, has gained it a reputation of being one of the finest training destinations.

The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley calls upon the young officers of Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise) to maintain absolute standards of ethics and 100% integrity; asks them to emulate the Gandhian principle that even in moments of struggle, they should be in a position to maintain the position of ethics and morality on their side

The Union Minister of Finance Corporate Affairs and Information Broadcasting Shri Arun Jaitley asked the young Officer Trainees (OTs) of the 67th Batch of Officer Trainees (OTs) of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise) to emulate the Gandhian principle that even in moments of struggle, they should be in a position to maintain the position of ethics and morality on their side. He said that even when facing pulls and pressures, they must never forget to go straight. The Finance Minister told the Officer Trainees that if they maintain absolute standards of ethics and 100% integrity, they would definitely go a long way. All this was to be accompanied with professional competence and a judicious and fair approach in tax collection, he added. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley was addressing the 67th Batch of Officer Trainees (OTs) of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise) here today. The function was attended among others by the Chairman, CBEC Shri Najib Shah, Shri Ram Tirath, Shri P.K.Bansal,and Ms Ananya Ray, all Members, CBEC and other senior officers of the Ministry of Finance and CBEC.

The Union Minister of Finance Corporate Affairs and Information Broadcasting Shri Arun Jaitley further that the taxation should not be a painful process for the people. Ideally, the Minister said that the Government should collection taxes like a honeybee, which sucks just the right amount of honey from the flower so that both can survive,. Shri Jaitley also mentioned that the starting point of any activity is investment and the purpose of investment is to yield profitability. And in this process, he said that the investors work out the element of taxability and this tax content which is generated as revenue is used for infrastructure and for fulfilling the social responsibilities of the State as well as to yield more economic activity. And for this, the Finance Minister in his address to the OTs indicated the road map for the future. He wanted them to retain the idealism which they inculcated at the time of joining the service to be retained with the same enthusiasm at the time when they are retiring from Service. For this, the Finance Minister said that they need to have the basic cardinal principle of striving for excellence. Earlier, the Officer Trainees (OTs) of 67th Batch qualified the Civil Service Exam 2014 have joined the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise Service) on 28th Dec 2015. 190 officer trainees have reported for training including 25 officers of the earlier batch who had availed of extra ordinary leave. There are also five customs officers from the Royal Govt. of Bhutan who are training with this Batch. The educational qualifications of the OTs varies from engineering degrees to doctors to post graduate degree holders and graduates in the field of humanities science and commerce besides management and law graduates and a Ph D. The batch is truly representative of the States of India covering Jammu and Kashmir to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat to Manipur and Nagaland. The largest representation come from the state of Rajasthan followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra. Their age profile varies from 24 years to 35 years.

Their training includes class room training in Customs, Central Excise, Service Tax and Narcotics besides Public Finance and Policy, Foreign Trade Policy, International Conventions, Administrative Law and other related laws including those relating to protection of the environment, heritage of India, national security etc. Besides they are exposed to on the job training in the various field formations of Customs, Excise and Service Tax and also training with para military forces, like BSF, ITBP, Coast Guard, Indian Navy to learn the finer aspects of Border Management and National Security. They are also sent to a leading university abroad for a week’s training on leadership and public policy and to acquaint with international best practices.

‘Kalvari’, the first of the Scorpene class submarines, being built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd Mumbai (MDL), went to sea for the first time today. The submarine sailed out at about 1000 hrs under her own propulsion for the first sea trial, off the Mumbai coast and during the sortie. A number of number of preliminary tests on the propulsion system, Auxiliary Equipment and Systems, Navigation Aids, Communication Equipment and Steering gear. Various Standard Operating Procedures were also validated for this new class of submarines. The submarine then returned to harbor in the evening.

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MB/37/16

The background brief of the project and development is attached.

MAIDEN SEA TRIAL OF FIRST SCORPENE SUBMARINE – 01 MAY 2016

‘Kalvari’, the first of the Scorpene class submarines, built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd Mumbai (MDL), went to sea for the first time today. The submarine sailed out at about 1000 hrs under her own propulsion for the first sea trial, off the Mumbai coast and during the sortie, completed a number of preliminary tests on the propulsion system, Auxiliary Equipment and Systems, Navigation Aids, Communication Equipment and Steering gear. Various Standard Operating Procedures were also validated for this new class of submarines. The submarine then returned to harbor in the evening.

This important milestone was achieved by MDL after overcoming a number of challenges faced since launching of the submarine last year in October. During the next few months, the submarine will undergo a barrage of sea trials, including surface trials, diving trials, weapon trials, Noise trials etc. which would test the submarine to the extremes of its intended operating envelop. Thereafter she would be commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Kalvari later this year. Commissioning of Kalvari will be a re-affirmation of India’s capability to build submarines and a major boost for the ‘Make in India’ programme of the government.

In April last year, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri had visited MDL and directed that all out effort be made to complete the project in time. Accordingly, the teams from MDL, Indian Navy and DCNS have been working round the clock. Today, with the first sea sortie of Kalvari, MDL has achieved a major project milestone.

Leveraging on the experience and the transfer-of-technology of the Scorpene project, and with the enhanced and upgraded infrastructure, MDL is ready for undertaking future submarine and shipbuilding projects, in order to meet the growing requirements of National Security.

Background

India joined the exclusive group of submarine constructing nations on 07 February 1992, with the commissioning of the first Indian built submarine, INS Shalki. That was indeed a proud day for Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, who had built this submarine. Mazagon Dock then went on to commission another submarine, INS Shankul, on 28 May 1994. These submarines are still in service today, after more than 20 years; testimony to the skills and capability of Mazagon Dock.

The ongoing project for the construction of six Scorpene class submarines, has M/s DCNS of France, as Collaborator and includes ‘Transfer of Technology’, with M/s MDL as the ‘Builder’.

Operational Features

The state-of-art features of the Scorpene include superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched with torpedoes, as well as tube launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on surface. The Stealth features give it invulnerability, unmatched by many submarines.

The Scorpene Submarine is designed to operate in all theatres including the Tropics. All means and communications are provided to ensure interoperability with other components of a Naval Task Force. It can undertake multifarious types of missions typically undertaken by any modern submarine i.e Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence gathering, Mine Laying, Area Surveillance etc.

Construction Features

Submarines are built from special steel, capable of withstanding high yield stress and having high tensile strength, thereby allowing them to withstand high hydrostatic force and enabling them to dive deeper to further enhance stealth.

The Submarine is built according to the principle of Modular Construction, which involves dividing the submarine into a number of sections and building them parallelly. The equipment is mounted onto Cradles and then embarked into the sections. The complexity of the task increases exponentially as it involves laying of around 60 kms of cabling and 11 kms of piping in extremely congested and limited space inside the submarine. Further, the stringent tolerances laid down for the construction of the Scorpene were indeed a challenge, but have been successfully achieved.

Other Features

The Scorpene is equipped with Weapons Launching Tubes (WLT), and can carry weapons on board which can be easily reloaded at sea, through special handling and loading equipment. The array of weapons and complex sensors fitted on board the Scorpene are managed by a high technology Combat Management System, which integrates various diverse systems fitted onboard into One Formidable Whole.

Status of Submarine

The submarine was undocked on pontoon on 06 April 2015 in the presence of Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Manohar Parrikar. After completing the important milestones of vacuum test and battery loading, the submarine was launched at the Naval Dockyard on 28 Oct 15 and thereafter brought back to MDL for completion of the Basin trials and Harbour Acceptance trials phase.

After conquering numerous challenges faced during the ‘Setting to Work’ phase and undergoing rigorous harbour tests & trials to the complete satisfaction of the customer, the submarine is now fully ready to undergo for sea trials.

‘Kalvari’ : The Tiger Shark

Kalvari is the dreaded Tiger Shark, a deadly deep sea predator. As is the tradition, ships and submarines of the Navy, are brought alive after decommissioning. The first Kalvari, which was also the first Indian submarine, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 08 December 1967. She was decommissioned on 31 May 1996 after almost 30 years of yeoman service to the nation. In true nautical traditions, she will now be re-incarnated, by Mazagon Dock, once again a powerful predator of the deep, guarding the vast maritime interests and areas of our nation.

The commissioning of Yard 11875 (Kalvari), will not only mark a generational shift in technology, insofar as submarine construction in India is concerned, but also for submarine operations by the Indian Navy.

Contribution to National Security and Nation Building

With it’s history of constructing the Leander and Godavari class Frigates, Khukri class Corvettes, Delhi and Kolkata class Destroyers, Shivalik class Stealth Frigates, 1241 RE Missile Boats and the Shalki class submarines, there is now no doubt that MDL has deservedly earned the soubriquet ‘Warship and Submarine Builders to the Nation’.

MDL’s contribution to national security and nation building will continue with the P-15B class destroyers, the first of which was launched in April 2015, and the P-17A class stealth frigates, the follow-on of the P-17 Stealth Frigates.

Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, flagged off 16031 Chennai Central Jammu Tawi Andaman Express Train from Jammu Tawi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK). This is the extension of the existing train from Jammu Tawi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra(SVDK). The flagging off was done through remote control by organising a video conferencing by Rail Bhawan(New Delhi) and Jammu Tawi Railway Station. The other Dignitaries present at the function at New Delhi end included Dr. Jitender Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Development of North Eastern Region, and MOS in Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, Shri Manoj Sinha, Union Minister of State for Railways, Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Power Development and Housing & Urban Development, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri A.K. Puthia General Manager, Northern Railway. At Jammu end, Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha Shri Shamsher Singh Manhas, Shri Sat Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly, Jammu and Kashmir were among those present on the occasion.

In his address the Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu said that it is necessary to provide good transportation facilities to the places of pilgrimage from every part of the country. Indian Railway is making sincere efforts in providing best connectivity to the places of pilgrimage. He said that Ministry of Railway is committed to the development of Railway infrastructure in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that a meeting of consultative committee attached with Ministry of Railway was organised at Srinagar recently. Shri Suresh Prabhu said that he will soon hold a meeting at Jammu to review the progress of various Railway Projects. Shri Suresh Prabhu reiterated that Hon’ble Prime Minister has always been emphasizing the need to give priority to the development activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

In his address, Dr. Jitender Singh said that it is heartening to see that Indian Railways is paying a lot of attention to the development of the Railway Infrastructure in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He complemented Indian Railways for meeting the demand of people of Katra for increased connectivity with rest of the Nation. He pointed out that Railway represents the culture of the country. He said that when the train services reached Katra, many people of the region saw a train for the first time in the life.

In his address Dr. Nirmal Singh appreciated the steps taken by Indian Railways to provide better connectivity to Katra from different parts of the country. He said that Hon’ble Prime Minister has been personally concerned about the Railway Projects in the Jammu and Kashmir. He praised the Railway Minister Shri Suresh Prabhu for his dynamism and initiatives in improving the Railway services.

Shri A.K.Puthia in his welcome address outlined the progress of various Railway Projects being undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir.

Brief Backgrounder about trains services in Jammu and Kashmir and Katra :

·It has been planned to extend 13 pairs of train services originating from various parts of the country uptoShri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK)/Udhampur. Out of these, 05 pairs have already been extended upto SVDK w.e.f. 01.09.2015 and 02.09.2015.

·Extension of 16031/16032 Chennai-Jammu Tawi Andaman Express upto SVDK has been flagged off today on 04.09.2015 by Minister of Railways from Rail Bhawan,

·The schedule of this train is as follows:-

16031 Chennai-Jammu Tawi Andaman Express (Tri-weekly)

Station

16032 Jammu Tawi-Chennai Andaman Express (Tri-weekly)

Arrival

Departure

Arrival

Departure

--

05:15 (W, Th, Su)

Chennai

10:10 (Th, Su, M)

--

13:10

13:20

Jammu Tawi

23:35

23:45

15:20 (F, Sa, Tu)

--

SVDK

--

21:55 (Tu, F, Sa)

*Commercial stoppage at Udhampur

·In the Railway Budget 2014-15, introduction of 07 pair of Mail/Express trains, 03 pair of Premium trains and 02 pair of DEMU trains have been announced out of which 09 pair of train services have already been introduced. Remaining 03 pair of train services will be introduced as and when Rolling stocks are available.

·List of the trains announced in the Railway Budget 2014-15 which would serve the State of Jammu & Kashmir and status of implementation are as under:-

S. No.

Train no

From

To

Frequency

Type

Status

1.

19805/19806

Kota

Udhampur

Weekly

Express

Introduced w.e.f. 12.11.2014

2.

14713/14714

Sriganganagar

Jammu Tawi

Weekly

Express

Introduced w.e.f. 24.09.2014

3.

22941/22942

Indore

Jammu Tawi

Weekly

Express

Introduced w.e.f. 29.12.2014

4.

14155/14156

Kanpur

Jammu Tawi

Bi-weekly

Express

Introduced w.e.f. 09.06.2015

5.

22461/22462

New Delhi

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra

Daily

Superfast

Introduced w.e.f. 14.07.2014

6.

22679/22680

Yashwantpur

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra

Weekly

Premium

Introduced w.e.f. 29.01.2015

7.

19415/19416

Ahmadabad

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra

Weekly

Express

Introduced w.e.f. 25.01.2015

8.

74615/74616

Baramula

Banihal

6 days a week

DEMU

Introduced w.e.f. 09.07.2015

9.

74613/74614

Baramula

Budgam

6 days a week

DEMU

10.

15655/15656

Kamyakhya

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra

Weekly

Express

Will be introduced as and when Rolling stocks are available

11.

22923/22934

Bandra

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra

Weekly*

Premium

12.

22313/22314

Sealdah

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra

Weekly*

Premium

·The 04 pairs of train services which were running as special trains on Baramulla-Banihal, Baramulla-Badgam and Badgam-Banihal section has been made run as regular service. Now, Baramulla-Budgam-Banihal section is presently being served by 13 pairs of train services (Baramulla-Banihal section is being served by 04 pairs of train services, Baramulla-Badgam section is presently being served by 07 pairs of train services and Badgam-Banihal section is being served by 10 pairs of train services).

·Apart from this, 24 pair of mail/express trains serving the state of Jammu & Kashmir have been permanently augmented by utilising 24 coaches during 2015-16.

·Presently, Jammu Tawi station is being served by 51 pairs of train services while Udhampur station is being served by 13 pairs of train services.

·Besides, to clear extra rush of passengers during summer, festive seasons or in connection with various religious congregations, special trains are made run serving the state of Jammu & Kashmir from various destinations as per the volume of traffic as and when required.

The list of 13 pairs of trains planned for extension upto SVDK/Udhampur and their status is as under:-